Analyze Unknown Object
by Cordelia Sun
Summary: When John gives Cameron a silly impulsive gift she tries to understand what it means and how she should respond.


Notes: Previously posted on AO3

* * *

Cameron sits on a bench in the park and watches the building opposite with an unwavering stare. Their mission today is surveillance of the building's security and analysis of the surrounding area. John Connor is making a circuit of the park assessing the entrances, exits and pathways. Sarah Connor is reviewing the traffic flow of the main street in front of the building. Cameron does not know where Derek Reese is today.

The sun shines in a clear, cloudless sky and and the air is fresh. It is Saturday and early in the morning. The park is vibrant with colour and noise. They are surrounded by grass and trees and flowers; well tended. A family walks by laughing and holding hands; the child is eating an ice-cream. A pair of women pass by jogging in step with each other.

John sits down next to Cameron, having finished his initial reconnaissance, and gives her a small smile.

"It's a nice day," he says looking up at the sky.

ANALYZE: WEATHER CONDITIONS:  
-TEMPERATURE:16 degrees Celsius/60.8 degrees Fahrenheit  
-WIND: WSW 1MPH  
-HUMIDITY: 59%  
-PRESSURE: 1,024.1 MB  
-VISIBILITY: 16.1km

-RESULT: POSITIVE

"Yes, it is pleasant today," she replies. She breaks her stare on the building to look at him and smile back.

"Here, I got you something." John leans over and hands her an object, which she takes carefully.

ANALYZE UNKNOWN OBJECT  
-SCANNING: OBJECT DATABASE  
-CLASSIFICATION: PLANT  
-DIVISION: MAGNOLIOPSIDA - FLOWERING PLANTS  
-GENUS: ROSA L.- ROSE

"It is a rose," she says and gives John a blank look. John responds with a smile and the particular light reflections in his eyes indicate amusement.

"Yeah, it's for you. A gift." John shrugs in a casual manner.

"Where did you get it?"

"From the bushes over there," he points to a large bed of ornamental flowers across the park.

Cameron zooms in on the area that John is pointing to and reads the sign attached the wall next to the bushes.

"You should not pick the flowers," she says, "there is a sign."

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." He leans back and relaxes; his arms stretched along the back of the bench and head tipped back to allow the sunshine to warm his face, "what do you think?"

ANALYZE OBJECT: ROSE  
-DIMENSIONS: 200MM x 5MM-50MM  
-WEIGHT: 20G

VISUAL ANALYSIS  
-STEM = 1/GREEN  
-PETALS = 5/YELLOW  
-THORNS = 3/GREEN  
...THREAT ANALYSIS: THORNS THREAT LEVEL = NONE  
-STAMEN = 15/WHITE+YELLOW

CROSS REFERENCE SOCIAL DATA FILES  
-HISTORY  
-LITERATURE  
-SYMBOLISM  
...RED ROSE = LOVE / SOCIALISM / HOUSE OF LANCASTER  
...WHITE ROSE = PURITY / INNOCENCE / SECRECY  
...YELLOW ROSE = FRIENDSHIP / JOY / NEW BEGINNING / JEALOUSY

"A yellow rose means friendship," Cameron says, picking the first item in the data file, "does this mean we are friends?"

"I don't know," John says with a breathy laugh and shifts uncomfortably in his seat, "maybe. I didn't really think about the colour."

"Oh," says Cameron.

"You haven't told me if you like it."

Cameron studies John expression. His brows are raised and his eyes are fixed intently on her face; indications that John has an expectation of a clear answer. Cameron performs another analysis on the flower in her hands; she brings it close to her nose and sniffs.

ANALYZE OBJECT: ROSE  
-OLFACTORY CHEMICAL ANALYSIS: PHENYLETHYL ALCOHOL / CITRONELLOL / GERANIOL / NEROL / DIHYDRO-BETA-IONONE

CROSS REFERENCE SENSORY DATA FILES  
-DIHYDRO-BETA-IONONE  
...REACTIVE INDEX: n20/d 1.481  
...DENSITY: 0.923 G/ML AT 25c  
...ORGANOLEPTIC: WOODY

"It smells like wood," says Cameron. John draws his brows together and leans forward to smell for himself, slowly. He keeps his gaze on her face as he does so.

"A little, I suppose," he says with a crooked smile; analysis of his expression, cross referenced with previous matching data points, indicates mild amusement.

Cameron studies the rose again. She is aware that she has not yet answered the question satisfactorily.

ANALYZE OBJECT: ROSE  
-FREEFORM QUERY "DO I LIKE THIS?"  
-RESULT: INCONCLUSIVE - ADDITIONAL DATA REQUIRED

"Why did you give me this?" she asks.

"I just thought it would be nice." he says with his hands spread, "thought it would help brighten up the day."

ANALYZE OBJECT: ROSE  
-FREEFORM QUERY "DO I LIKE THIS ROSE THAT JOHN GAVE ME TO BRIGHTEN UP THE DAY?"  
-RESULT: INCONCLUSIVE- ADDITIONAL DATA REQUIRED

"It's a gift," he says and leans in to whisper in a soft voice, "just for you."

ANALYZE OBJECT: ROSE  
-FREEFORM QUERY "DO I LIKE THIS ROSE THAT JOHN GAVE ME TO BRIGHTEN UP THE DAY? A GIFT JUST FOR ME."  
-RESULT: POSITIVE. IT IS A TIGHT GIFT.

"I like it," she says, smiling, "it's a tight gift."

John laughs and shakes his head. He gives Cameron's shoulder playful nudge before getting up to make another circuit of the park. Cameron holds the rose in a gentle grip. Her hand twitches slightly as she take another sniff. She frowns at the hand before focusing her attention back on the entrance of the building.

...

Across the park, leaning against a railing, Sarah Connor watches this exchange and purses her lips in worry and disapproval.

The End


End file.
